ble to build a cart, for it
would be very useful, and White Bill would then have something to do;
but I can't make the wheels, and there is no harness."

"That's not a bad idea of yours, Humphrey," replied Jacob; "we will
think about it. If you can't build a cart, perhaps I can buy one. It
would be useful if it were only to take the dung out of the yard on the
potato-ground; for I have hitherto carried it out in baskets, and it's
hard work."

"Yes, and we might saw the wood into billets, and carry it home in the
cart instead of dragging it this way: my shoulder is quite sore with the
rope, it cuts me so."

"Well, when the weather breaks up, I will see what I can do, Humphrey;
but just now the roads are so blocked up, that I do not think we could
get a cart from Lymington to the cottage, although we can a horse,
perhaps."

But if they remained indoors during the inclement weather, they were not
idle. Jacob took this opportunity to instruct the children in
everything. Alice learnt how to wash and how to cook. It is true that
sometimes she scalded herself a little, sometimes burnt her fingers; and
other accidents did occur, from the articles employed being too heavy
for them to lift by themselves; but practice and dexterity compensated
for want of strength, and fewer accidents happened every day. Humphrey
had his carpenters' tools; and although at first he had many failures,
and wasted nails and wood, by degrees he learnt to use his tools with
more dexterity, and made several little useful articles. Little Edith
could now do something, for she made and baked all the oatmeal cakes,
which saved Alice a good deal of time and trouble in watching them. It
was astonishing how much the children could do, now that there was no
one to do it for them; and they had daily instruction from Jacob. In
the evening Alice sat down with her needle and thread to mend the
clothes; at first they were not very well done; but she improved every
day. Edith and Humphrey learnt to read while Alice worked, and then
Alice learnt; and thus passed the winter away so rapidly, that although
they had been five months at the cottage, it did not appear as if they
had been there as many weeks. All were happy and contented, with the
exception, perhaps, of Edward, who had fits of gloominess, and
occasionally showed signs of impatience as to what was passing in the
world, of which he remained in ignorance.

That Edward Beverley had fits of gloom